“I think the slow start for both teams, I can say, I think they both were pretty nervous going into this game,” said Eisenhower head coach Ryan Mangini. “It was a pretty big crowd here. I think that was nerves at the beginning of the game. Both teams weren’t finishing; some turnovers they usually wouldn’t make. Second quarter we just got into the basketball we usually play. We were able to take advantage of our size in the second quarter and were able to get it down to what we call our physical mismatches. I thought our kids played the press pretty well to speed them up, but we didn’t give up a ton of easy baskets for them at the same time.”

Sheffield outscored Eisenhower in the first and third quarters 9-7 and 13-10, respectively, but the second quarter is where the Knights took control of the game and never gave it back, putting up 18 points led by Kyler Black with 8 and Wyatt Lookenhouse with 6, compared to Sheffield’s 8 total.

“I think any time these two teams get together there’s a bit of excitement,” said Sheffield head coach Jordan Copley. “There is that county rivalry. I know they feel it, I know we feel it, and I think that altered the game a little bit.”

Coming out of the half, the Wolverines trailed the Knights 25-17, and at one point were down as much as 10, but were able to close the gap enough with some big plays from Leihden Wotorson and Connor Finch in the final minutes to make the fourth quarter a nail-biter, with Eisenhower’s lead cut to five going in.

Connor Finch gets one of his six blocks. Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger

“Defensive intensity,” said Copley of what he told his players coming into the second half down by eight. “It’s four quarters of defensive intensity that we need to play. I keep telling them, it’s not two, it’s not three, it’s four quarters of defensive intensity that’s going to win you these ball games.”

The Knights started the fourth a trying to add to their lead, but Sheffield was playing resilient basketball. With half a quarter left, Wotorson drove hard to the hoop and let up just enough to float in a layup for two points.

Thirty seconds later, Wotorson drains a baseline three to pull the Wolverines within two at 41-39. Following a Casey Seymour free throw, Connor Finch dropped in an easy basket to have Sheffield within one at 42-41.

“Casey played really well,” said Mangini. “He had some big finishes. This is kind of his first year in the varsity spotlight. He’s been doing really well. Kyler played well, Wyatt played well. I honestly think everybody executed pretty well tonight.”

Down now by three with 2:24 left and coming out of a timeout, Eisenhower’s Kael Hunt added two off the Kyler Black assist. The Wolverines went on to miss several shots in the dwindling minutes of the quarter, while the Knights were able to add just enough cushion, that Finch’s final two free throws made no difference, winning what was a physical and demanding match-up.

“With the crowd like this, anybody, but especially high school kids, a big shot’s made and it’s like panic mode,” said Mangini of Sheffield’s fourth-quarter comeback. “I just tell them to calm down. They know what to do. We worked on, ‘hey we still have lead, make them come out and get you, and take it from there.’ They did a good job of making good decisions.

Lookenhouse led the Knights with 15 points. Kris Bunk and Colin Sobkowski both added 10 and Kael Hunt put of 12 in the evenly distributed Eisenhower offensive effort.

Wotorson and Finch led the Wolverines with 14 apiece, while Lucas McNeal followed up with a hard-fought 9 behind them. Finch added six blocks and seven rebounds.

“He’s fantastic around the hoop,” said Copley of Finch. “Lucas McNeal played his heart out. He never gives up. He’s one of those kids that’s going to give you everything he has for as many minutes as you’re willing to give him, and tonight it seemed like all of them to be honest with you.”

EISENHOWER (52)

Lookenhose 7 1-4 15, Hunt 6 0-0 12, Black 5 0-0 10, Bunk 5 0-0 10, Seymour 2 1-3 5. Totals 25 2-7 52.

SHEFFIELD (47)

Wotorson 4 0-2 14, Finch 6 2-2 14, McNeal 4 1-2 9, Silvis 2 0-0 4, Hardwick 2 0-0 4, Mott-Macalush 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 3-6 47.

3-point goals–Wotorson 2.

Eisenhower 7 18 10 17 — 52

Sheffield 9 8 13 17 — 47